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The M.S. degree program is intended to provide students with additional fundamental knowledge as well as specialized advanced knowledge in selected structural engineering aspects over and above the undergraduate degree course work. Two plans are offered; the M.S. Thesis Plan and the M.S. Comprehensive Examination Plan. In addition to the traditional M.S. degree in Structural Engineering, a M.S. degree with a specialization in Structural Health Monitoring, Prognosis, and Validated Simulations (SHMP&VS) is also available. The requirements for the M.S. degree in SHMP&VS are listed in the M.S. "In Health Monitoring" section of the department's website.

The M.S. Comprehensive Examination Plan involves course work and requires the completion of a written comprehensive examination covering multiple courses that the student has taken. The M.S. Comprehensive examination will be comprehensive and cover two focus sequences and at least one additional technical elective that the student has taken. The examination must be completed no later than the end of the eighth week of the quarter the student intends to graduate.

Master students are required to complete three core courses before they can graduate with their master's degree. The courses are SE 200 Applied Mathematics in Structural Engineering (or one of the following two similar courses: MAE294A and Math. 210A), SE 201 Advanced Structural Analysis, and SE 271 Solid Mechanics for Structural and Aerospace Engineering.

The M.S. Thesis Plan is designed for those students with an interest in research prior to entering the structural engineering profession or prior to entering a doctoral degree program. The M.S. Thesis Plan involves course work leading to the completion and defense of a master's thesis.

The thesis defense is the final examination for students enrolled in the M.S. Thesis Plan and must be conducted after completion of all course work. Upon completion of the research project, the student writes a thesis that must be successfully defended in an oral examination and public presentation conducted by a committee composed of three faculty members. A complete copy of the student's thesis must be submitted to each committee member two weeks before the defense.